Unlocked phone + prepaid sim = always work?

[slackerinabox]

I'm thinking I'd save a ton if my wife and I got unlocked iPhones or GS2 and just went prepaid with it. Is it just as easy as plugging the sim in, or does it matter phone by phone/carrier by carrier? I'm in NYC and considered simple mobile's $40 unlimited voice/3g mobile.


I only ask because I tried to do this years ago with a 1st gen iPhone and there were a bunch of hoops to jump through and I still ended up with edge data instead of 3g. Thanks!

 

[DaWhim]

just make sure the phone has been unlocked or never been lock before.

you don't get 3g with iphone on tmobile network. it depends on the network operator too. i think att just put people on prepaid on the 2g network

 

[cronos]

In general, yes it will always work. All you need to do is insert the SIM card and it'll work.

an iPhone is a totally different thing (because of how it activates, which is why you had trouble before), unless maybe if you're getting the factory unlocked 4 or 4S directly from Apple. You may be able to get an iPhone 3GS or newer on one of the prepaid carriers, but this will take some effort.

AT&T prepaid does get the 3G but you don't get the full 3G speed. This cap of 2.5-3 Mbps is not applied if you are using a non-AT&T-branded smartphone.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

The first gen iPhone was EDGE only.

 

[slackerinabox]

Great - very good info. Looks like I'll pass on the iPhone and maybe go for a windows phone 7 (great prices unlocked). It's weird to me that prepaid is cheaper than post paid these days!

 

[Pretty Cool]

Simple Mobile $40 plan's data speed is pretty bad, so it probably does not even matter what phone you use.

 

[ImDonly1]

Great - very good info. Looks like I'll pass on the iPhone and maybe go for a windows phone 7 (great prices unlocked). It's weird to me that prepaid is cheaper than post paid these days!

Make sure you get a phone that is compabile with the 3g bands of the provider you pick or else you will only get edge (dialup speeds). Simple mobile uses the t-mobile network and most att phones won't get 3g on it. It needs AWS bands for t-mobile 3g (1700 and 2100) like the galaxy nexus.

Also the $40 simple mobile plan limits your speeds to 120k (edge speeds). They false advertise and are a somewhat shady company.

If you want full speeds and the att network, do the straight talk nokia e71 trick. I'm using it and so are lots of other people on here. You can bring your att iphone to it for $45/mo. Also prepaid providers, even if they advertise unlimited data aren't really unlimited.

 

[slackerinabox]

Simple Mobile $40 plan's data speed is pretty bad, so it probably does not even matter what phone you use.

Not tied to one carrier at all, recommend any other prepaid sim provider?

 

[ImDonly1]

Not tied to one carrier at all, recommend any other prepaid sim provider?

Get StraightTalk with the Nokia E71 and switch the SIM out to any ATT (or unlocked worldphone) you want. I get full 3g speeds (1-5mbps depending on time and location). It uses the ATT network. I would get it quick since they are selling refurbished e71's for $50 on their website. You need to get the $45/mo plan with unlimited talk, text, and 2gb of data.
http://www.straighttalk.com/
more info here (its about iphone, but any other phone will work too) read first post
http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...!-Everything-you-need-to-know-to-make-it-work!

If you want the t-mobile network
Simple mobile only throttles the $40 plan. The $60 plan is not throttled I think.
Or you can just get t-mobile's own prepaid service for $60/mo or less depending on how much data you need. They also have a $30/mo plan with 100 minutes and 5gb of data, if you don't talk much.

If you get any prepaid service, you have to use less than 2gb of data.